Genus and species of plant claimed: Rubus idaeus. 
The new variety of red raspberry, Rubus idaeus L, was created in the course of a planned breeding program carried out at HortResearch Nelson, New Zealand. The parents used to make the cross in 1989 were the selections B257 (seed parent) and F29 (pollen parent). B257 was selected from open pollinated seed of the Scottish Crop Research Institute selection 7936F5 grown at HortResearch Nelson. F29 was selected from the cross xe2x80x98Marcyxe2x80x99xc3x97xe2x80x98Malling Delightxe2x80x99 produced on behalf of HortResearch at the Canada Agriculture Station at Abbotsford, British Columbia and grown at HortResearch Nelson.
The parentage of the new variety also includes the Scottish varieties xe2x80x98Glen Prosenxe2x80x99 (not patented) and xe2x80x98Glen Clovaxe2x80x99 (not patented), the German variety xe2x80x98Rumilobaxe2x80x99 (not patented) and the United States variety xe2x80x98Carnivalxe2x80x99 (not patented). The background of xe2x80x98Motuekaxe2x80x99 also includes Rubus occidentalis via the Scottish breeding program and spinelessness from the old Scottish variety xe2x80x98Burnetholmxe2x80x99.
Seedlings were grown in the field at HortResearch Nelson and the original plant of the new variety was selected during the 1992-93 summer (Southern Hemisphere) and was found to exhibit:
(a) a spine-free upright growth habit of medium vigor,
(b) the ability to form attractive, medium sized mid red fruit of good flavor in exceptionally high yields on medium length fruiting laterals,
(c) resistance to Raspberry Bushy Dwarf Virus (RBDV), and
(d) adaptation for machine harvest.
The new variety was first asexually propagated in 1993, reproduced by vegetative cuttings arising from root cuttings. Cuttings developed in spring in this way root within a 3-4 week propagation period, plants suitable for field planting are then generally ready in autumn of the same year. The resulting plants propagated true to type demonstrating that the characteristics of the new variety are stable and are transmitted without change through succeeding generations.
The new variety was tested and evaluated during the period 1995 to 2000 at HortResearch Nelson.
When compared to the parent B257, the new variety is found to form larger, almost as firm fruit, in higher yields. xe2x80x98Motuekaxe2x80x99 is further distinguished from B257 by having fruit that are thicker, longer, more conical, with darker color, increased shininess, and reduced force required to separate the berry from the plug.
When compared to the F29 parent the new variety exhibits larger, coherent, non crumbly, medium red fruit in higher yields, a similar picking date (i.e. mid season), and a longer picking period. xe2x80x98Motuekaxe2x80x99 is further distinguished from F29, by having no spines on juvenile or mature canes, by reduced cane vigor and cane number, and by having larger fruit that are very easy to separate from the plug.
Data collected during the evaluation period comparing fruiting performance of the new variety with standard New Zealand varieties is presented in Table 1.
The data presented in Table 1 demonstrate the high fruit yield potential of the new variety. Berries of xe2x80x98Motuekaxe2x80x99 are suitable for consumption as fresh fruit and are very well suited for processing. The color of the processed product is a similar red to that of xe2x80x98Marcyxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Skeenaxe2x80x99, the standard varieties for processing in New Zealand, although lighter than that of xe2x80x98Meekeerxe2x80x99 or xe2x80x98Willamettexe2x80x99, the standard varieties for processing in the United States.